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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bulb · ruler · season · lash · bay · craft · chip · clip

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. craft — a skill
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. craft — boats
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. season — of the year
  8. clip — for paper
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. clip — a video
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bulb — for light
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. chip — to eat
  22. season — in sport
  23. chip — for betting
  24. clip — to cut

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com